Minnow trap



Patented Sept. 14, 1954 UN [TED STATES PATENT OFFICE MINNOW TRAP Ervin W. Brune, Washington, Mo.

ApplicrttionV September 27, 1949', SerialNo. 118,047

(Cl. l1l3-56) 2 Claims. l l

This invention relates to-improvements in minnow traps, and more particularly to a minnovv trap which can also be used as alive bait pail.

It is among theobjects of the invention to provide a minnow trap which can be setA in a stream to catch minnows for live bait and can then be used as a live bait pail to retain the minnows for use `in iishing, which is equipped with adjustable means for controlling the iiow of water therethrough and with a hollow pocket or receptacle which can be used as a float or as a water ballast to assist in properly positioning the trap in the water, which is easy to condition for use as a trap or a pail, which can be formed of a readilyavailable transparent or translucent material, such asa synthetic resin plastic, and which -is simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture, and neat and attractive in appearance.

Other objects and. advantages will becomeapparent from a consideration of the following `de scription and the appended claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is aside elevation ofa minnow trap illustrative of the invention,V showing the trap supported in water in operative position to serve as a live bait pail;

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan view .of the minnow trap illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a' longitudinal cross-section .on an enlarged scale taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse cross-section on an enlarged scale taken on the 'line ll-ll of Figure l;

Figure 5' is a cross-section Yof a fragmentary upper portion of the trap, 'showing a structural detail thereof;

Figure 6 is a cross-section o f.a fragmentary lower portion of the trap, showing a structural detail;

`Figure '7 is a side velevation of the trap positioned in water to function as a minnow trap, a portion being brokenaway and shown inlongitudinal cross-section to better illustrate the construction thereof; and

Figure `8 is an enlarged fragmentary .sectional view taken on the line 88 of Figure 1.

With continued reference to vthe drawing,v the improved minnow trap comprises an elongated, hollow imperforate body l0, preferably of cylindrical shape and having a thin wall which is preferably formed of a moldable plastic material, such as a synthetic resin plastic, and which may be transparent or translucent, so that minnows and other live bait will more readily enter the trap. This body I0 has an open end and has at 2 its opposite end. axiallyf an --inwardlydirected, funnel-shapedend VWall :I l provided with an apical opening ksurrounded -bypan Vexternally screwthreaded, cylindrical neck l2. A screw-,cap i3 having a perforated end `wall 'i4 :andan internally screwfthreaded,annular flange I5 gis thread ableL onto the neck l2 in covering relationship to the opening in theA end wall jl of the body 1D.

`This cap is threaded onto the neck-.,l2 of. the

bottom wall when the Idevice'is used asaxlive bait `pail' or, container, as illustrated in 'Figures 1 and 3, to prevent the'bait from escaping 4.through the opening inthe bottom Wall of the -mallfl body of the deviceb1lt is removed whenA theA device is used as a trapas'illi istrated irl-Figure 7so that the bait can pass throughthe funnel-shapedfbottom wall il andthe apical openingzthereinsnto the interior of the body AIl) without obstruction.

' At itsend opposite the bottomfwall yl l the body le is provided with an internaL annular recess, the inner end of Whichiorms an internal, wannular shoulder l' in the body near the Open lend ofthe latter. Adjacent .theshoulden :the bodygisfprovided withy anA internal :cross ,brace extending transversely across the body at'its open end, and

4secured thereto, Athe brace embodying; a pair; of

wires ll and `Ilay arranged in crisscross relation.

Theopen endofythe body `I0 is covered, by an axially outwardly-tapered end cap f I 8- havingv an open end and having atits 4opposite end a-ilat, perforated end yWall -l9. ,At its open end the -cap i8 is provided with,` an external groovewhioh forms" an annular, external shoulder 2d complementary to the shoulder; I6 formed inthelbody l0. kflvhe recessed portionlbf the cap i8 is telescopical-ly received in therecessed portion-of the body ill at the open end of the latter, while` the end Aof the cap rests againstthe body ,shoulder I6 and the `end or the body rests aeainst-thecap shoulder 20.

Two fastening devices 2l landra-such asl are ordinarily usedfon articles 4of luggage, suchas suitcases and hat boxes, are secured to the .body and tothe .cap i8. Each ofthese `fasteners has twoparts, one .of which indicatedby the letter `A is secured to the body .andone of which indicated by the letter is securedtothe cap, and which .may be manually interlocked by means 'of a lever indicated by the letter C to firmly secure the end cap I8 onto the body I0.

A small chain or other flexible strand 23 is connected at one end to the body I0 and at its opposite end to the end cap I8 to prevent accidental loss of the cap. The body l0 is provided with two diametrically-opposite openings adjacent the internal rib II and a flexible bail 24 has its opposite ends inserted through these openings, respectively, and knotted, as indicated at 25 and 26, to secure the ends of the bail to the body I0. The bail may be passed through a suitable handle 27 having a longitudinal bore therethrough and to provide greater convenience in carrying the device.

A circular, perforated plate 28 is disposed against the axially inward side of the perforated end wall I9 of the end cap and rotatably secured to the end wall I9 by an eye 29, the shank of which is rigidly connected to the plate 28 and the eye of which is disposed at the axially outward side of the end Wall I9 opposite the plate 28, so that the plate 28 can be turned by turning the eye. The plate 28 can be turned or moved relative to the perforated end wall I9 in a manner to adjustably control the total area of the openings through the end wall I9 and thereby regulate the ow of water through the trap. The eye 29 is also used to attach a line 30 to the corresponding end of the trap when the device is being used to trap live bait.

A piece 3I of thin-walled material of concavoconvex shape is secured at its peripheral edge to the inner surface of the end cap I8 at one side of the latter to provide between itself and the side wall of the end cap a pocket 32. This pocketforming piece 3| may be of the same substance as the cap I8 and the body I0, and is provided with a screw-threaded opening 33 into which is threaded a thumb screw 34 having a notch 35 in the shank thereof and so arranged that when the notch is brought into the opening 33, an aperture will be provided through the Wall 3I. The side wall of the cap I8 overlying the pocket 32 is provided with a screw-threaded aperture 36 and a thumb screw 37 having a notch 38 in the shank thereof is threaded into the aperture 36, and the notch 38 is so arranged that when it is brought into the opening 36, an aperture is provided through the side wall of the cap into the pocket. The two thumb screws 34 and 37 provide valve means which can be opened to ll the pocket 32 with Water, or to empty water therefrom, and which can be closed to either retain the pocket full of water or to keep water out of the pocket when desired. When the device is used as a trap, as illustrated in Figure 7, the

pocket 32 is lled with water so that it will act as a Water ballast or weight to cause thetrap to topple to a reclining position on the bottom of a stream along which minnows pass. When the device is used as a live bait pail, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, the pocket 32 is emptied of water and lled with air and serves as a float to assist in maintaining the device in the upright position in the water, indicated in Figure 1. A small, plastic card holder 39 is secured on the outer side of the body I to hold a name card 40 so that a fisherman can easily identify his minnow traps.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. In a combined minnow trap and pail, a hollow plain cylindrical imperforate body having an end Wall including a reduced opening, said body being open at the end thereof opposite said end wall, a cap removably engaged on the open end of said body, said cap having an end wall having perforations through which Water can flow while preventing passage of minnows therethrough, said cap having a side wall, and Weight means on said side wall acting to topple said body into a reclining position so as to maintain the body in minnoW-trapping position, said weight means and a portion of the sidewall of the cap refining a ballast chamber adapted to contain water, said ballast chamber having aperture means through which ballast water can enter or be drained from the chamber, and valve means closing said aperture means.

2. In a combined minnow trap and pail, a plain hollow cylindrical body having an open end and another end formed with a restricted opening, a cap secured on said open end of the body, said cap having a perforated end Wall and an imperforate side wall, a concave plate engaged with the cap side wall and therewith deiining a ballast chamber, said cap side wall and said concave plate having restricted openings, and valve means having portions extending through said restricted openings, said valve portions being adjustable to close or open the restricted openings so as to retain or permit the draining of Water from or the entrance of water into said chamber to serve as ballast for holding said body in a reclining toppled position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 46,993 Getz Feb. 23, 1915 166,164 Vose July 27, 1875 178,947 Parker June 20, 1876 340,564 Elliott Apr. 27, 1886 540,526 Hemp Sept. 5, 1893 633,229 Clark Sept. 19, 1899 686,669 Cope Nov. 12, 1901 938,161 Messinger Oct. 26, 1909 956,138 McAleer Apr. 26, 1910 975,939 Edwards Nov. 15, 1910 1,201,051 Jack Oct. 10, 1916 1,219,842 Morgan Mar. 20, 1917 1,470,842 Hyams Oct. 16, 1923 1,638,238 Brautigam et al. Aug. 9, 1927 1,934,815 Parrott Nov. 14, 1933 1,941,242 Bechtel et al Dec. 26, 1933 2,255,134 Thomas Sept. 9, 1941 2,347,670 Devine May 2, 1944 2,415,692 Huston Feb. 11, 1947 2,490,507 Brown Dec. 6, 1949 2,522,017 Bergman Sept. 12, 1950 

